BENGALURU: There are 2,207 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the state and vacancies for 257 doctors. As a result, the Department of Health has decided to fill the posts with AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Sidda and Homeopathy) doctors.

Principal Secretary to the Health Department Shalini Rajneesh told Express, “By December, there will be no PHC with vacancies as the Health Department has decided to recruit AYUSH doctors. But if MBBS doctors want to apply, they are welcome. First preference will be given to them.”

The state drug controller is heading a committee which will study the feasibility of AYUSH doctors prescribing allopathic drugs. The doctors will be paid the same as what MBBS doctors are being paid, which is Rs 40,000 in urban and Rs 42,000 in rural areas for contract doctors in PHCs.

Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar said, “When we made rural service compulsory, MBBS doctors went to court and got a stay. They have been made doctors with the state’s money but there is no sense of gratitude among them. Now when we want to recruit AYUSH doctors, they want to oppose that too. Should people be left to die?”